Wow Days
As a business owner you are taking lots of risks, and you deserve to experience the perks of that lifestyle. You've earned the freedom to play golf every Thursday or take one week a month off--or whatever freedom means to you--and know that your business is in good hands while you're away.
A Wow Day is simply a 24-hour period when you clock out of work mode, a full day with NO business thoughts or pressures. None. No notepads at your side. No Blackberry under your beach towel. A Wow Day is NOT a day where you rush to the golf course after a day at work, just barely making your tee time. A Wow Day is NOT a half day at your desk followed by a partial day at the spa. That just isn't enough time to decompress and renew your brain and body. Spend these days however you like, but they are meant as true rest and rejuvenation days. It's critical to realize that these are not a luxury, but essential for optimal mental functioning. You must give yourself time to unwind in order to function the rest of the time at the top of your game.
- They can fall on weekends and/or weekdays.
- NO work transpires on those days.
- Plan to do something extraordinary on those days--even if for you it's just curling up with a good book. (If you lead a frenzied life, a whole day to read may be very extraordinary.) The point is to do whatever feels special to you.
- Remember, the goal is not to become a more successful workaholic!
Entrepreneurs have learned to plan Wow Days first, because as business owners we absolutely love our careers and could work for weeks and months without much of a break. Planned Wow Days allow you to create a life of significance including precious time for yourself and your family. If you don't make this simple step a habit, your only reward for working hard will be more hard work! The pure act of taking time to enjoy life has easily extended my career another 20 years. I love my career and my life. Being an entrepreneur is all about executing a total life plan. Execution is everything!
When I take a Wow Day I love to change my scenery--go for a hike in the desert, go rowing on a river or go on a day trip into the wine country. Being in a new environment puts my ideas into perspective and forces me to experience my life differently. The best thing about Wow Days is only YOU get to determine how you spend them. If you catch yourself thinking: if only I had a day to...then you definitely are in need of some Wow Days. The beauty of this plan is that by taking time away from your business, you actually become more effective and more focused when you return to it.
